1943 HVAR, Partisan mail

Under the 1941 Rome Treaties, Hvar officially remained part of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), though it was actually occupied by the Italian army. Following the Italian capitulation in September 1943, the National Liberation Committee briefly took control of the island. This ended on January 19, 1944, when the German 118th Jäger Division (738th Regiment) invaded. Postal records from this turbulent period are scarce, and surviving items are exceptionally rare.

 Letter from the Episcopal Ordinary, sent from Hvar (11.XII.43) to Humac Donji, Nerežišće, island of Brač, censored by partisans on Hvar. This is the only such letter that I have seen so far.

1945 SPLIT, Rare cancel Tijesno

Tijesno (today Tisno) is a small city located partly on the Tisnjan peninsula and partly on the island of Murter (see on map).

1945 Split provisional issue, a fragment of a letter, sent from Tijesno (7.VI.45), franked with 50kn (20kn for letter and 30kn for registration). Very rare cancel Tijesno.

1941 BANJA LUKA, Unique letter

The stamps were overprinted in 'Jović Printing Works' in Banja Luka on 18.04 or 19.04.1941 and delivered to the post office. They remained on sale until 23.04.1941 by which time the entire stock of 1000 stamps of each value was sold. Formally, the Banja Luka provisional issue was valid until 30.04.1943 and on the entire territory of the Independent State of Croatia. All known postal items, except the one, were sent from Banja Luka...

 

1941 Banja Luka provisional issue, express registered letter, franked with 22.50 kn and 1 din, sent from Zagreb (24.IV.43) to Banja Luka (25.IV.43). The only known express delivery letter and the only letter using the issue posted outside Banja Luka. Certificate Ercegović, Vilfan, Marinšek.

Confinement colony of Pisticci

Pisticci concentration camp was the first Italian confinement colony established as a center of agricultural work (centro di lavoro agricolo). The total capacity was 1000. Internees and detainees were exclusively male, mostly Slovenian and Croatian civilians as well as some Greeks and Poles.

Postcard sent from confinement colony of Pisticci region Matera (28.6.42) to Ljubljana, censored by the administration of the colony. 

1945 LJUBLJANA, An early postcard

After the liberation of Ljubljana in May 1945, all postal traffic was suspended until June 6. Postal items from the first half of June are rare. According to the directive, all shipments in the Ljubljana region should be censored at the post office Ljubljana-1. However, despite the fact that most shipments were from this region, Ljubljana censorship did not work, so censorship was carried out in transit or at the final destination.

1945 Ljubljana, postcard sent from Ljubljana (10.VI.45) to Sviljanac Serbia, free of charge as the sender was a military person, censored in Zagreb. Very early item.

The front side of the postcard - Ljubljana at night.

Concentration camp Melada

Concentration camp Melada was established in the bay of Jaza on the island Melada (today Molat). The camp was in operation from 29 June 1942 to 8 September 1943. Very few postal items are preserved while I saw only one letter...

Letter franked with 50 cent., sent from Oltre / Preko, island of Ugljan (13.3.43) to the concentration camp on island Melada / Molat, censored in Oltre or Zara, returned to Oltre (24.3.43).

Campo di concentramento di Melada.

1943 ŠIBENIK, Unused stationery

Italian stationery with a face value of 15, 30 and 75 cent. were overprinted whereas 50 cent. may have been overprinted, but I have never seen one. The overprint was executed with the same rubber cachet used for the overprinting of stamps. Additionally, single line cachet reading 'NEZAVISNA DRŽAVA HRVATSKA' was struck across the wording 'CARTOLINA POSTALE' and, at an angle, across the slogan 'VINCEREMO'. Pictorial cachet with Croatian coat-of-arms was also applied occasionally but not always across the Italian-coat-of-arms.

The used stationery are very rare, however unused are even rarer. So far I have seen only one unused.

Overprinted stationery of 15 cent. (computer reconstruction).

Overprinted stationery of 30 cent. (computer reconstruction).

Overprinted stationery of 75 cent. This is the only unused stationery I have seen so far. 

1944 SENTA, Block of 10

Complete sheets or multiples with the entire row of ten stamps are not known and most probably does not exist. Even the pieces larger than 2x2 are extremely rare...

1944 Senta local provisional issue, block of ten (5x2), positions B4-8. Unique item showing the process of multiphase overprint - upper row Mi. XIV, lower row Mi. XIII. This is the largest remained piece of Senta issue known to me. 

1945 SARAJEVO, Forerunner

Eastern and Northern part of Bosnia was liberated by Partisans in April 1945. In May and June DFJ stamps in occupation dinars have been used. Postage for military persons (senders or receivers) was free of charge... 

Forerunner of the 1945 Sarajevo provisional issue, picture postcard sent from Sarajevo (16.VI.45) to Pančevo, free of charge as the sender was a military person, censored in Sarajevo by the military censor No. 10. Such postal items are quite rare.

Concentration camp Klos

Concentration camp Klos A n.1 (Albania) operated from summer 1941 to April 1943. The majority of internees were members of the Yugoslav communist party and Montenegrins and Serbian Kosovar Jews...

Registered letter sent from Podgorica (21.VIII.42) to Concentration Camp Klos A n.1., franked with 1,75 Lire, travelled through Cetinje (22.VIII.42) and Shkoder (24.8.42). Censored in transit "VERIFICATO / PER / CENSURA" and at the arrival to the concentration camp "VERIFICATO PER CENSURA / Campo Concentramento A n. 1". Recipient's acknowledgement for money check for 300 lire is handwritten on the cover.

1943/44 ŠIBENIK, Very rare item

Non-local letters franked only with hand overprinted stamps from First Šibenik issue are very rare...

1943 Šibenik local provisional issue, letter franked with 60 cent. and charged with 2 kn war tax, sent from Šibenik (29.VII.44) to Sarajevo. Censored in Sarajevo. Due to military operations and partisan ambushes, the letter most likely travelled with a German military convoy along the route: Sibenik - Split - Mostar - Sarajevo. Certificate Ercegović.

1945 MARIBOR, Guštanj stationery

Guštanj (today Ravne na Koroškem) is known for its long history of steel production. The Earl of Thurn owned a large steel mill, which was very important in the post-war reconstruction of Yugoslavia. Due to the intensive operation of the steel plant right after the liberation in 1945, the post office in Guštanj was also quite busy. It is known that this small post office was without any postmarks, so they had to use provisional ones...

1945 Maribor provisional issue, company stationery sent from Guštanj (26. JUN. 1945) to Muta ob Dravi, franked with 6 pf, canceled with a provisional date canceller. Signed Ercegović.

1945 Transadriatic mail

Transadriatic mail to foreign destinations is very rare...

 

1945 Transadriatic mail, letter from Grohote, island of Šolta, (14.II.45) to Balcatta, West Australia, in transit through Cairo (2. APR 45). Three times censored: first locally, most probably in Split, then by the Allied Transadriatic Censorship in Bari and in Cairo (M/52). No postage applied since the letter was sent within a free postage period. This is the only recorded letter for Australia.

VP certificate forms

I am impressed with the modern look and advanced security features of VP certificate forms. The most awesome one can be seen under the UV light...

VP certificate form under the ultraviolet light.

Vuk stationery used in Čakovec

Vuk stationeries used outside Serbia, Baranja or Srem are very rare...

1944 DFJ provisional issue, Vuk 2+3 din stationery, sent from Čakovec (2.VIII.45) to Novi Sad (3.VIII.45). Very rare usage in Croatia.

My blog - new visitors

So, let's see how many new visitors I had in 2019...

New visitors - map coverage.

New visitors - top 10 countries.

HNY 2020

Dear Visitor,

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Aleš

1944/45 Serbia, Postcard to Bulgaria

Exceptionally rare use of this issue on foreign mail...

1944/45 provisional issue for Serbia, photo used as a postcard, franked with 5 occupation Din (first tariff period), sent from Belgrade (10.II.45) to Yambol (ЯМБОЛЬ) Bulgaria (17.II.45), censored by the military censor in Belgrade. Mail to Bulgaria was charged at domestic tariff. Exceptionally rare use of this issue on foreign mail.

Barac&Pervan 54th auction

Today in Zagreb... Another quality auction with good results shows a positive trend in philately on the territory of ex Yugoslavia. 

The auction hall was too small for everyone.

Verband Philatelistischer Prüfer e.V.

I became a member of Verband Philatelistischer Prüfer e.V. for the provisional issues of Democratic Federal Yugoslavia (Cetinje, Ljubljana, Maribor, Mostar, Murska Sobota, Sarajevo, Senta, Split, Zagreb) and local issues of the Independent State of Croatia (Banja Luka, Dalmatia, Međimurje, Šibenik I & II).

https://www.vpev.de

https://www.facebook.com/verbandspruefer

1945 SPLIT, Postage due

This letter is one of the great rarities...

1945 Split provisional issue, letter sent from Banja Luka to Šibenik (19.V.45), non-franked, censored in Split (CENZURA Br. 3). On arrival marked with T cachet and charged 40kn postage due. Canceled with the old SHS Šibenik C canceller. This is the only known example of using 1945 Split provisional stamps for postage due. Certificate Vilfan.

Labor camp Lambrate

Vinceremo (we win) stationery sent on the day of the Italian capitulation...

15 cent Vinceremo stationery, sent from Monfalkone / Tržič (8.9.1943) to 214th labor camp for civilian internees in Lambrate near Milano, censored by province censorship. The stationery could not be delivered (IMPOSSIBILE RECAPITO), so it was returned to the sender (AL MITTENTE).

1945 MARIBOR, forgery

The following fraudulent postcard was recently sold at one of the auctions...

A picture postcard of Škrlatica with two red stamps of mountain lodges in Slovenia, addressed to a private person in Marburg an der Drau, franked with 6 pf from Maribor provisional issue, cancelled 14.V.45 with Vlasenica canceller. Forgery / fraudulent item!

So, what is wrong with it (you can stop reading after No. 1):

1. Maribor provisional issue was issued on 15.06.1945. Therefore, it could not be used one month earlier :)
2. The postcard was to be sent from Vlasenica, the east of Bosnia. Highly unlikely!
3. The German name for Maribor was used. It was doubtful for the period after the liberation.
4. Also, all postal traffic for private shipments in Slovenia was suspended from 12.05.1945 to 8.6.1945, so such mail could not be delivered. All mail delivered after 8.6.1945 was censored.

NDH-Philately Group

Update: It is been two weeks since we are hosting at https://groups.io/g/NDH-Philately. In the meantime, we have gained six new members, bringing the total number of members to over 100. Increasing member activity is also a positive sign for the future of this group...

===

If you are an NDH collector then you should know for the NDH study group set up by Mr. Phil Hughes back in 2005. So far, the group has been hosted at Yahoo, but due to a coming shutdown of some Yahoo services, the group has got a new home: https://groups.io/g/NDH-Philately.

If you are not a member, I suggest applying for membership. The procedure is easy and membership is free. Just open the page, click on the blue button and follow the instructions...

A new home for NDH-Philately Group.

1944 SENTA, eBay forgeries

Now on sale... Just in case if you saw on eBay and not sure...

• overprint = fake
• NOO canceller = fake
• Tubinović's sign = fake

1944 Senta forgeries on eBay.

1941 NDH, "Jubilarka" stationery

I have never seen or heard before - a trial print of "jubilarka" stationery... 

1941 Independent State of Croatia, Armed Forces Special Issue, known as "jubilarka", trial print on young King Peter II stationery. From A.F.Kugel collection.

Overprint enlarged.

Comments:

A.F.Kugel: ... a test printing was also made in black on a few 1 dinar postal cards in the young King Peter II design. However, in the end, they were not authorized to be issued.

P.J.Hughes (NDH expert):  ... I remember overlaying a genuine black overprint with this stationery and they match perfectly, so I am of the opinion that it is likely genuine. This may be the only card like this, or there may be one or two others, but I have not seen any others.  ...  The overprint may be from a separate cliche as it has none of the flaws that can be found on the overprinted stamps. It is consistent with the "proof" black overprints that are on the market in blocks on kunstdruck paper, or on the 4 Din stamp. A few of these have flaws, but there are only a few flaws as the plate used for the proofs was very new and did not have time to develop the flaws that show up later on the regular printing.

Casa Penale Capodistria

Italian prisons served also as temporary detention of the interned before being transferred to a concentration camp...

Registered letter sent from Zwischenwässern - Medvode (11.8.43) to Casa Penale Capodistria - Koper, franked with 42pf, returned back to Zwischenwässern (23.9.43). Censored by Germans.

Sindelfingen stamp fair

I spent a nice day looking for treasures and meeting new colleagues...

2019 Sindelfingen stamp fair.

At the Association of Philatelic Examiners eV. exhibition corner. 

@verbandspruefer homepage and facebook.

1945 CETINJE, Double overprint

Only one sheet of 20 Lire / 2 Lire was double overprinted. Since the layout of a sheet was 5x4, only 20 stamps could exist with this variety. The most famous of them is the one from position 2 having typical error D instead of A.

1945 Cetinje local provisional issue, 20/2 Lire, block of four with double overprint. Positions 1-2/6-7. Stamp at position 2 with typical error D instead of A (Демократскд instead of Демократска). Unique item! Certificate Veličković.

1944 SENTA, 75th Anniversary

Today (20.10.2019) is the 75th anniversary of the Senta local issue. On 18.10.1944 the Senta Liberation Committee decided that the Hungarian postage stamps should be overprinted with symbols of the new communist regime. 

18.10.1944, Senta Liberation Committee document (from Senta city archive)

..."in the middle red star at it hammer and sickle in black and with inscription Senta, 8-X-1944”...

The following day, the president of the Local Liberation Committee, comrade Isa Nešić, issued an order to overprint stamps. Interestingly, the instructions about overprint content changed. Probably due to the technical difficulties were not being able to provide such details like the hammer and a sickle.

19.10.1944, Order with final instructions for the overprint.

..."on the upper part the inscription 8.X.1944 at the bottom edge the inscription Jugoslavia in black color and a five-pointed star in red in the middle"...

On 20.10.1944, 28 different stamps were overprinted. 

1944 Senta local provisional issue, Mi. 1-10, I-XIV, P1, PI-III. Max 34 complets exist.

 

A pair of commemorative sheets with all 28 stamps. Only 16 issued.